Is History On Bobby Roode’s Side?

Hulk Hogan on “Busted Open” on Sirius/XM Radio, talking about Bobby Roode:
“Nah, he’s not ready. He’s not the next guy. Ya’ know, they might think he is. Dixie Carter might think he is. The whole world might think he is. He’s not the next guy. If I had to bet money on anybody and really be serious about betting money on anybody, I’d say Jeff Hardy is the next guy if he keeps his act together.”

And what do you know? Roode drops a controversial fall to Kurt Angle in the TNA title match at Bound For Glory and the hope of Roode fans to see the up-and-coming star become champ went by the wayside.

I am a huge Bobby Roode fan… have been for a long time and think he has all the tools to be a top guy and back in 2000, when I worked for the WWE, I had the same lament as many of you… Let’s go back to July 23, 2000 in Dallas, TX. Here were the final three matches from Fully Loaded and their results…

The Undertaker beat Kurt Angle in a Last Man Standing Match: Triple H beat Chris Jericho for the WWF Title: The Rock beat Chris Benoit to keep the title.

Angle, Jericho and Benoit were all on the rise in the company since joining and it was an opportunity for these rising stars to get a win over the “establishment” names. But it was not to be… Did this mean all three were doomed to failure? No, we know the heights they would achieve but at the time, they were great opponents for the top guys. Losing to the Undertaker, Triple H and The Rock for Angle, Jericho and Benoit was not an insult when you look at what the victors had already accomplished. A win over quality opponents shows the strength of the brand.

I thought a win by Jericho would have been greatly received by fans of wrestling. By the end of the night, I thought the company missed a chance to capitalize on the hot hand but over time, I learned more about the how’s and why’s. The losses didn’t bury Angle, Jericho and Benoit.

And unlike Hogan, it wasn’t as if Vince felt all three weren’t future champs. It just wasn’t the right time. Can Bobby Roode get to the level of Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho or Benoit? Not with the current regime… they don’t see it in him, brother.